Lithuania approves construction fence to protect against ASF

To prevent the possible spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), the Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture has finally decided to allocate funds for the construction of fences along the Lithuanian- Belarusian border.

"It will be constructed in areas where, due to outbreaks, has been declared an emergency," said the head of the Ministry Vigiliyus Jukna. The idea to launch a fence has been a discussion in Lithuania since the summer of 2013, but initially has been rejected because of the lack of funding and refusal of the European Commission to provide money on such constructions.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture will allocate 1.9 million litas (EUR 600,000 euros), according to the report. An emergency was declared on January 24 in six Lithuanian municipalities (administrative units) in connection with the registered outbreaks of ASF in the wild. The protective fence should prevent migration of animals and the transfer of the disease.

The total length of the Lithuanian border with Belarus is 678 km. Vilnius has expressed a desire to build a fence of the full length in future and once more requested funds in Brussels.

"Lithuania is an external border to the European Union, so the effectiveness of the measures concerns the whole of Europe," said the head of the Veterinary and Food Service of the country Jonas Milius.